PEEKSKILL Memorial plans have been set for Ryan Risco, a 26-year-old Peekskill man who drowned off the coast of a Fire Island beach on Long Island early Tuesday morning.
Riscos body was found on the shore near Davis Park by a resident and identified soon afterward, the Associated Press reported. Authorities had received a call overnight from a friend of the victim who was swimming with him when he disappeared.
Risco was a Peekskill High School graduate and studied theater in college. He was working at The Reef restaurant in Peekskill when the accident occurred.
Close friends remembered Risco as a funny, outgoing young man who was a talented singer, dancer and actor. Risco was an avid New York Yankees fan and huge fan of the movie Ghostbusters, so much so that he had a Ghostbusters tattoo.
"Everybody loved this kid - if you would have asked me ten years ago I would have said the same thing," said Lauren Brady, a close friend who went to school with Risco."He just touched everybody."
Emily Denham, who knew Risco since middle school, called him her best friend.
"Ryan was the funniest person I've ever met in my life," Risco said."He would light up the room instantly when he walked in."
Denham said she was still in denial over Risco's death.
"When a friend called me Wednesday, I didn't believe it." Denham said. "I thought they were wrong or that someone was playing a joke."
Lifelong friend Matthew Sewalk said Risco loved making people laugh and had a natural gift for relating to people.
"Ryan was a one of a kind type of person," Sewalk said. "Everyone who knew him connected so well with him. He connected so well with everyone."
A wake will be held Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the E.O. Curry Funeral Home in Peekskill.
A Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at the Church of the Assumption,. Burial will follow at the Assumption Cemetery in Cortlandt Manor.
A prayer book has been created at the E.O. Curry Funeral Home website at www.eocurryfuneralhome.com, where friend and family can leave their condolences.
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